"So at the time of death... Of course, those
who are devotees, their position is different. People may say, “The devotee
is also dying, and the nondevotee, sinful man, is also dying. What is the
difference?” So there is much difference. The example is given: just like
a cat catching a rat in his mouth and at the same time carrying his cubs
in the mouth. Superficially, we can see that the same mouth is being used,
but one is feeling comfortable being carried by the mother, and another
is feeling the death knell. Similarly, at the time of death, the devotee’s
feeling that they are being transferred to Vaikuëöha, whereas
the ordinary sinful man is feeling that the Yamaräja, the dütas,
the constables of Yamaräja are dragging him to the hellish condition
of life. So one should not conclude simply by seeing that he is dying.
No. The process is different. Janma karma ca me divyam. As Lord Kåñëa’s
appearance and disappearance are all spiritual, transcendental, they are
not ordinary things, similarly, Lord Kåñëa’s devotee,
His representative, who is sent to this material world for preaching the
glories of Lord Kåñëa, their appearance and disappearance
is also like Kåñëa’s. Therefore, according to Vaiñëava
principles, the appearance and disappearance of Vaiñëava is
considered all-auspicious. Therefore we hold festivals. Just like yesterday
we had the disappearance day of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
Goswami Prabhupäda. So we offered our respects and observed a festival,
Ävirbhava, Tirobhava. Tirobhava. Actually the living entity
has no birth or death, and what to speak of Kåñëa or
His devotee. Kåñëa is the chief living entity of all
living entities. Nityo nityänäà cetanaç cetanänäm.
He is also a living entity. Sometimes the atheist class of men say, “God
is dead.” The rascals, they do not know that even a small living entity
does not die. How Kåñëa can be dead or God can be dead?
Müòhä. Therefore these classes of men are described in
the Bhagavad-gétä as müòhä, rascals. They
do not know anything; still, they pose themselves as very learned and utter
something which is neither good for them nor for the public." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada. 17th December 1970. Srimad Bhagavatam lecture 6:1:27-34.
Surat, India.)

Break-fast :

This is the prescribed time when one should break the
fast one has held. You may need to adjust taking into account Daylight
Savings Time if it is Summer Time and the country that you are in and if
it has DST (Summer Time) - Not every country observes DST (NZ zone 12hrs
becomes 13hrs from GMT during Summertime - i.e. in Greenwich, England it
is 20:00hrs Sunday but in NZ it is 09:00am Monday - NZ adds one hour to
REAL Time so to enjoy longer evenings and darker, later mornings).

For More

Chaturmasya
:

"The Cäturmäsya period begins in the
month of Äñäòha (June-July) from the day of Ekädaçé
called Çayanä-ekädaçé, in the fortnight
of the waxing moon. The period ends in the month of Kärtika (October-November)
on the Ekädaçé day known as Utthänä-ekädaçé,
in the fortnight of the waxing moon. This four-month period is known as
Cäturmäsya. Some Vaiñëavas also observe it from the
full-moon day of Äñäòha until the full-moon day
of Kärtika. That is also a period of four months. This period, calculated
by the lunar months, is called Cäturmäsya, but others also observe
Cäturmäsya according to the solar month from Çrävaëa
to Kärtika. The whole period, either lunar or solar, takes place during
the rainy season. Cäturmäsya should be observed by all sections
of the population. It does not matter whether one is a gåhastha or
a sannyäsé. The observance is obligatory for all äçramas.
The real purpose behind the vow taken during these four months is to minimize
the quantity of sense gratification. This is not very difficult. In the
month of Çrävaëa one should not eat spinach, in the month
of Bhädra one should not eat yogurt, and in the month of Äçvina
one should not drink milk. One should not eat fish or other nonvegetarian
food during the month of Kärtika. A nonvegetarian diet means fish
and meat. Similarly, masüra däl and urad däl are also considered
nonvegetarian. These two däls contain a great amount of protein, and
food rich in protein is considered nonvegetarian. On the whole, during
the four-month period of Cäturmäsya one should practice giving
up all food intended for sense enjoyment.(A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada. Sri Chaitanya
Charitamrita. Madhya-lila 4.169. purport.)

Notes:Urja vrata - means restricting eating.The term "spinach" in India refers to green
leafy vegetables of that nature.The yogurt fast is fasting from eating yogurt
by itself. Yogurt used as a binding agent for cake is not included.Milk fast means refrain from drinking milk.
Milk sweets, milk by-products are okay.

In the fourth (last) month, Ashvin Shukla Dashami to Kartik Shukla Dwadashi
one should not partake dicotyledon grains (grains breaking in two parts)
like gram, tur urad, masur etc., Similarly, one should not eat fruits or
vegetables containing lot of seeds. This also applies to tubors as ordained.
Thus reason for making a list of prohibited items seperately for each of
the four months is in the nature of dietary discipline, and declared as
daily regimen ("Nityavrata") by the scriptures.

During Festivals of the Lord (ie Balaram's App,
Sri Krishna Janmastami, Radhastami, etc) all preparations are offered to
the Lord and chaturmasya vrata of restrictive honouring of even foods in
the above categories does not apply. (yes one can honour Urid dal kachoris
that have been offered to Srila Prabhupad on his Tirubhav)

Chaturmasya means "four months", which is the duration that Vishnu sleeps.

Ekadasi, Asadha 11 (July 20, 2002). The time the Vishnu goes to sleep
for four months.
Naga Panchami, Sravana 5 (Aug 12, 2002). The cobras are appeased at
this festival, which is dedicated to the serpent Ananta (aka Sesha?), on
whose coils Vishnu rested when he created the universe.
"Vishnu lies on Ananta", Bhadra 14 (Sept 19, 2002). Celebration of
Vishnu lying on the cobra Ananta. [same as Sharad Purnima?]
"Vishnu wakes". eleven days after new moon in [Agrahayana]. Vishnu
wakes.

Chaturmasya Sankalpam (declaration
to begin Chaturmasya and End) & Standards for observing the Urja-vratas
of Chaturmasya.

In this dummy Calendar the dates are not applicable for
everywhere, rather they are there just as an example how a functional up
to date Calendar would work. This is/was however the real Calendar for
Katikati, New Zealand 1999-2000 & 2000-2001 & 2001-2002 etc.Check your local up to date Vaishnava Calendar for actual
dates of festival, fasts and feasts.

If you don't have one, and would like one, you can download
your own Vaishnava Calendar making software for FREE at the end of the
Calendar. The VCAL 4.01 sofware will create a calendar for you in minutes
for anywhere in the world. You can add your location.

Many countries around the world observe Daylight Savings
Time - DLS or DST - Summer Time.Generally this means that in the summertime the government
orders that the clocks be turned backwards so that is it less light in
the morning, and stays light up until later in the evening.In the winter time the clocks are again returned to normal
so that with the shorter day people can get maximum daylight.Some countries do not adjust their time - so where it
says Break fast 08:30 - 10:30 Daylight savings not taken into consideration
- any adding or subtracting that may be needed is only applicable to countires
that change their time - DST.Some countries add one hour, some add two hours, some
countries like Australia only some States observe Day light savings, while
Queensland doesn't. Check locally.

For details about Solar and Lunar eclipses, their effects,
their origin, and how to deal with them - what to do, what not to do, etc.,
it is advised to go to our Eclipse page - you will find all that you need
to know, plus more - and links to other eclipse related pages.This will take you to our Eclipse page

In the Year of Our Lord - Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu 513 Gaurabda.Lord Chaitanya appeared in 1486 A.D., so from then until 1999 is
513 years.Each year from His Divine appearance at Gaura Purnima in the month
of Phalguna (Govinda - February / March) the years are added, thus 2000
will be 514 Gaurabda, and so on.

Location
- Longitude - Latitude - Time Zone :

This is the co-ordinates that we have taken from your location in
the world.Latitude of Auckland is 36 S 52 ( 36 degrees 52 minutes
South of the equator)Longitude of Auckland is 174 E 46 (174 degrees 46 minutes
East of Greenwich)Time Zones are generally taken from Greenwich, England - GMT. Aucklands'
is -11:39:04(-11 hours, because Auckland is ahead of Greenwich, 39 mins and
04 secs - Although often for convenience people take all New Zealand as
Zone 12. This means 12 hrs from Greenwich.)

Means Month (Mase = Months).Click HERE
to go to a graph that shows the Lunar, Hindu, Vaishnava, Sidereal and English
name for each month.

Also when they start and end - Purnima under a certain
stellar nakshatra.

Nakshatra
= stellar constellation :

There are 27 functional nakshatras that we recognise and
work with, although there is a 28th Abhijit also.Click Here to
go to the nakshatras page that describes the Ganam, Swabhav, Gender, etc.,
of each nakshatra.

Paksha :

Means Fortnight - there are two fortnights in a lunar
month.Bright fortnight (Sukla or Gaura Paksha) which
goes from the pratipat (first phase) tithi after the dark moon (Amavasya)
up to the time when the Moon is at its brightest - Waxing.Dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) which goes from
the pratipad (first phase) tithi of the moon after the Full Moon as it
gradually Wanes away to total darkness on the Amavasya (Dark Moon or New
Moon) night.

Panjika :

Means the Almanac or Calendar that give an explanation
of Feasts, Fasts, and Festivities. This differs from a Panchangam in that
a panchangam gives specific details about timings of the movement of planets.
Both a panjika and a panchangam follow the similar principles to evaluate
the placement of time, but the panjika often follows rules that are laid
down by acaryas in a given disciplic succession for sadhakas to adhere
to when observing festivals and fasts. To get a good idea of this see the
English translation to Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Saraswati Thakur's Navadwip
Panjika.

Purusottama
Adhika Maasa : (Adhika Aswayujam)(updated 14th May 2007)

Every two (sometimes three) years in Vedik Sidereal
astrology there is a time compensation month added to correct, and adjust
the time movements. This is something similar to the western Leap Year.This month is considered to be very auspicious (adhika
= best or greatest), as Vishnu Himself appearing in a Calendrical Form
to rectify our astrological and astronomical calculations.

The astronomical parameters differ only slightly in different astronomical
texts. For our present discussions, these differences will not matter much
and so we follow the Suryasiddhanta. According to this text,

1 Lunar year = 29.5305 X 12 = 354.366 days

1 Solar year = 365.2587 days.

Thus one lunar year lags behind the solar year and one lunation has
to be added after 3 years to fit the lunar year into the solar one. Astronomers
have called this intercalary lunation as adhika month, and have asserted
that this month is to be added to the lunar year.

Adhika (Purushottam) Maase Since the calendar is based
on the phases of the Moon, the transits take 354 days, 8 hours and 34.28
seconds. This creates a difference of 10 days, 21 hours and 35.16 seconds
from the actual solar year (365 days, 6 hours, 9.54 seconds) When the accumulated
difference exceeds 29 days, 12 hours, 44 minutes and 2.865 seconds, an
adjustment is made with an extra month (Adhika Maas), which carries the
name of the previous or the next month, depending on the proximity of the
month. Normally, seven extra months occur in 19 years.

Vasishtha Siddhanta (the treatise of Vasishtha) mentions that Adhik
Maas or the extra lunar month occurs after every 32 months, 16 days and
8 Ghadis (a Ghadi is a period of 24 minutes and 60 Ghadis equal 24 hours).

***take vow to REMAIN TRUTHFUL for whole month.***Careful not to BLASPHEME any devotee,sastra, brahmin, cows, saints,
or one observing the Purusottama Vrata.

1.fixed increased chanting 25, 32, 64,128 rounds daily! 2. hearing hari katha (Study Krishna Book (chapters dealing
with Vraja lila and Krishna meeting gopis at kuruksetra) Srimad Bhagavatam
& Chaitanya Charitamrita specifically desc. Radha Krishna guna and
lila) and/or speaking daily hari-katha 3. worshiping Radha Krishna, which means, unless you
have deity with = you, then daily offer fresh first class lotus or rose
plus tulasi = garlands to Radhe Shyam photo or painting of Radha-Govinda
Yugal. *if worship Salagrama (could apply to Radha-Govinda also)
offer 100,000 tulasi leaves and achieve "unlimited merit beyond the powers
of Brahma to describe." 4. Sing bhajans and kirtans specifically glorifying Yugala
Kishora. Such as Jaya Radha Madhava; Radhe jaya jaya madhava dayite; radha-krishna
prana mora; Radha-krpa kataksa (in back our radhakunda book or in Giti
Guccha song book; also sing Nandanandana Astakam (also in Giti Guccha song
book); jaya radha madana mohan.. sanatana prana dhana he; jaya madhava
madana murari radhe shyam shyama shyam; radha-krsna bol bol bolo re sobhai;
vrndavana ramya sthana; tulasi arotik prayers with deep prayer of longing
and meditation; 5. MUST OFFER Daily GHEE (pure cow's ghee only) lamp to Radha-Krishna
Deity or photo. 6. Bathe DAILY in Yamuna around sunrise. Or if not in holy
land then pour drops on head from bottle of Radha-kunda water or Yamuna
after offering obeisances and prayers to Radha-kunda or Yamuna. 7.Eating--Fast till noon and eat only fruits or just vegetables
without any beans or grains. (like ekadasi preps for one month!) once a
day if you can. Or just eat mahaprasadam, full to neck ONCE A DAY. Take
a vow according to your capacity to follow, and in no condition can one
break his vow in the middle of the month.

HOW TO BREAK THE PURUSOTTAMA VRATA AFTER ONE MONTH?1. Worship Radha-Govinda and chant this mantra: "O Supreme Lord!
O Sanatana! O Purusottama! O Lord Hari! I offer my obeisances unto You.
May You and Your beloved Srimati Radhika please accept my offerings. I
offer my repeated obeisances unto Radha-Syamasundara, who wears effulgent
yellow garments on His beautiful body."2. Offer pushpanjali and dandavats to Radhe-Syama.3. Give charity to 3,5,7,9, 11 brahmanas to best of your ability.**Best charity to give Srimad Bhagavatam to qualified Vaisnava devotee
brahmana. This charity will deliver all you forefathers to Goloka dhama
and the association of Lord Purusottam!***Other recommended gifts: new clothes, gold (rupees, bucks, pounds),
two pairs of new shoes4. Feed brahmanas with prasadam

SPECIAL ACTIONS AT END OF MONTH: 1. If not bathed in sacred waters---nullify reaction
by donating milk and yogurt to brahmanas 2. If eat rice, wheat, fruits,oil, or ghee during P.M.-give
charity to brahmanas (as mentioned above) 3. If eat on leaf plates for month-then feed brahmanas
with ghee and sugar 4. Not cut hair and nails for P.M.-give mirror to one
brahmana.

IF BROKE ANY RULES DURING PURUSOTTAMA MONTH:Must feed brahmanas with different kinds of sweet juice. (sugar
cane, oj, grape, etc)

BENEFITS OF OBSERVING PURUSOTTAMA VRATA1. All the holy places in the world come to reside in your body.2. One who observes Purusottama Month with faith and devotion will
go back home, BTG to serve Radha-Govinda eternally in Goloka Vrndavana
at the end of his life!

These are the recommended vratas described in Padma Purana PUrusottama
= Mahatyam. We are sure Prabhupada will help you honor this month nicely.

As the name itself suggests it is the extra month in the lunar calendar.
Once in three years we get an extra month and this year "Jesta" is the
"Adhika Masa".
The two months are called Adhika Jesta and Nija Jesta. In Adhika masa
good things like marriage are not done. They wait for the Nija Jesta to
come. But to do poojas and danas in this month is very good, The offerings
done now are weighed 33times more than the offerings of the ordinary month.

Ladies put 33 Padmas in rongoli every day, put 33 flowers. Light 33
lamps and finally do 33 namaskars throughout the month. 33 Appupas made
and given to a good Brahmin, put in a container along with good dhakshina,
How to make Appupa I will tell you later. Dear Akkama used to do all this
and the Brahmin invariably used to be Sri, Subbanacharya of Madras. If
Appupa is difficult for you can make any sweets in 33 numbers and give,
I do hope that our M.B. Family people read this and appreciate it.

Religious significance of Adhik Maas (from Narottam dasa)
This month is considered very auspicious and is especially dear to
Lord Krishna’s heart. Adhik Maas Vrat is capable of washing away all the
sins of people (who observe the Vrat). During this month fasting and so
forth are undertaken and garments and so forth are distributed to charities.
It is written in the Devi Bhagavat that charitable and meritorious
acts and fasting and so forth carried out during Adhik Maas inevitably
produce enormous results. Just as atomic sized contents within a seed produce
a giant and long living Banyan tree, so in the same manner even a little
charitable act done during Adhik Maas produces massive results.

According to the Vedic/Hindu lunar year, there were only 12 months.
Each of the twelve months was assigned to the 12 great devas. So that the
lunar and the solar years do not get out of step with days and seasons,
the far-sighted Rishi and Munis calculated and facilitated Adhik Maas (extra
month) and shown its importance. But one problem still remained. Each of
the 12 months was assigned to 12 different devas. But the 13th extra month
was not assigned to any deva. Adhik Maas felt sadness and approached Lord
Vishnu and said that no deva was assigned to him (Adhik Maas) and for that
reason he was called Mal Maas or Malimmacha. Adhik Maas further spoke to
Lord Vishnu: ‘ I am filled with anxiety and I have therefore come to seek
your refuge and help.’

Lord Vishnu took pity on him. The Lord (Vishnu) agreed and assigned
Adhik Maas to Himself and gave the name Purushottama Maas to this month.
Lord Vishnu also said that acquisition of merits during other months through
good deeds, japa, austerities etc can be acquired by japa, austerities
etc. carried out within this one month. Since then it is known as the Purushottama
Maas and acquired greater significance than the other months.

Reading sastras and listening to elevated souls in this most auspicious
month one acquires high merits. It is written in the Bhavishyottar Purana
that fasting or eating once a day should commence on the first day of the
bright fortnight (Shukla Paksha) {this year this date is the 17th May}
and end on the last day of the dark fortnight (Krishna Paksha) {this year
this date is the 15th June}. According to ability, distribute to charities
and perform good deeds.
The Puranas also sing high praises about Adhik Maas and prescribe performing
puja, reading, studying and hearing of scriptures, selfless actions without
the expectations of results and so forth are to be performed during Adhik
Maas. Adhik Maas is the month for Vishnu puja. The recitation of Srimad
Bhagavat Purana and of the Bhagavad Gita during this month produces enormous
meritorious results. In addition to singing and listening to the praises
of Lord Vishnu, one should undertake to perform the Adhik Maas Vrat as
well. This Vrat is to begin from the first day and ends on the last day
of Adhik Maas. Waking up during the hours of Brahma Muhurta (between 4
am and 6 am), after ablutions, place a murti of Radha-Krishna or Lakshmi-Narayana
and perform puja. If there is a temple nearby then perform puja of whatever
deities are usually worshipped therein. During the entire month of Mal
Maas Vrat eat Sattvic food (vegetarian meals, milk, fruits, nuts, grains,
vegetables). One meal at night is generally recommended.

It is written in the Bhavishyottar Purana that Sri Krishna Himself has
said regarding Adhik Maas Vrat that by carrying out the Vrat with the sole
aim of worshipping Him, through fasting, cleanliness, charity, puja and
so forth merits are acquired which produce unfailing results and all sorts
of calamities are overcomed.

What’s forbidden in Adhik Maas: -

Commencement of Studies.
Upayanam Samskara (The Sacred thread/ Jeneo ceremony).
Entering a new house or signing of any papers pertaining to the house.
Munda samskara (Hair cutting ceremony generally perform in the 3rd
or 5th year for a boy).
Vivah samskara (Wedding ceremony).
Pilgrimage.
Commencement of a new building.
Buying a car.
Signing of any important papers.

QUESTION: - What happens if I do the above mentioned under what one
should not do in Adhik Maas?
ANSWER: - Well if one for example marries in Adhik Maas then
that couple are sure to go thro’ many problems in their marriage and generally
that marriage ends in divorce. Or if one moves into a new house then they
are just inviting trouble. Our revered Rishis were very intelligent and
enlightened souls and they received direct instructions from Shri Krsna
Bhagavan and thus we follow in a sense blindly… this would not go down
well with the western mind. I feel that we have been brainwashed to question
any thing mentioned the Vedas yet follow blindly ever our western “Gods”/scientists
have to say but when one studies the Vedic scriptures for a long time one
will come to the realization that one should follow scriptures as is…

A Question was asked recently why should we perform all these acts of
charity:
Answer: - In the Garuda Purana Lord Visnu states to Sri Garudji.
Garuda Purana Preta Khanda 13.19
“Whatever gifts are made by one during one’s life time, becomes beneficial
later”
Garuda Purana Preta Khanda chapter 14
4-5 “Anything given to a deserving person flourishes day by day. A
gift wipes off the sin of the giver and the acceptance of the same by a
person of good wisdom does not affect him.”
8 “ I affirm that just as seeds and other valuable things invested
or sown in the ground offer fruitful results so also things by one’s own
hands yield fruitful results.”
12 “Therefore, life being unsteady it is incumbent on everyone to do
every thing beforehand. With the food for the journey in the form of gifts
offered to the deserving, one is able to travel with comfort in the Great
Highway in the journey after death. Otherwise, the wretch undergoes great
hardships without food to subsist on, on the way.”
Garuda Purana Preta Khanda chapter 20
8 “Those who have offered gifts in their lifetime should not entertain
any fear from Dharmaraja”
10 “Virtue can easily be procured by offering gifts. The path to Yama’s
region can easily be traversed by acts of charity. This highway cannot
be easily covered otherwise.”

Since this is a floating month, no celebrations are held in this month.
However this month is also called Purusottam Mas and it is dedicated to
the Uttam Purush or Lord Krishna himself. The Maha mantra for this month
is:

The one who held the Govardhan mountain aloft and who also tended the
cows, I sing his praise. Govinda who is celebrated in the festivals of
Gokul and who is loved by all Gopis.

In this month one is supposed to live simply, chant the Maha mantra,
worship idols of Sri Krishna clad in a yellow robe accompanied by Sri Radhika,
sing Kirtan in the streets, protect cows and help widows or women in distress.

Is the 360 day year advocated for Mahadasa usage some how Moon related
and the 365 day year Sun related?
Those who advocate the 360 day year say it is Lunar while the 365 day
year is Solar and say something like the following:
"I once had a conversation with a jyotishi here in Australia who told
me he uses the 360 day calendar as opposed to the 365 day calendar when
calculating Vimsottari dasa. His argument was, why should we use a solar
based calendar for calculating a lunar based dasa system?"

This argument reveals several fallacies:

The first fallacy is that Vimsottari Mahadasa is "lunar based." Simply
because the apparatus used for ascertaining what the mahadasa should be
is based upon the Moon and Naksatras doesn't mean we should reject the
standard year simply because it is based on the movement of the Sun. There
are other systems of mahadasa which are not based on the Naksatras does
that mean we should shift definitions for the length of the year to suit
them? There is also the fact that Satyacarya has suggested that the Janma-naksaträ
be chosen from the stronger of the Moon or Lagna. If the Lagna were stronger
then this would not be based on the Moon. In such cases would the
length of the year be a different amount?

Of course I want to quickly point out that Satycarya's suggestion of
using the Lagna is not followed by any astrologers and the Moon's
position is universally accepted as the standard for the janma-naksaträ.

The second fallacy, is the assumption that since 365.25 is a solar year,
we should reject it because mahadasa is a lunar based phenomena and rather
accept a 360 day year. The unspoken assumption is that a 360 day year is
somehow "Lunar." As we have pointed out before the Lunar year is not 360
days long but rather 360 tithis (lunar days) long, which is about 354.36
solar days long. Thus, since the 360 day year in not "lunar" then it should
not be favored and the 365.25 day year should not be rejected for being
"solar."

There is a third fallacy in this argument which leads us to the next
question.

What is the relationship between the Solar and Lunar year?

The third fallacy is a bit more complex. The implicit assumption is
that time measured by the lunar and solar calendar somehow yield different
results. If we were to use a 360 day-year rather than a 365.25 day-year,
for mahadasa calculations then there would be a difference. After some
time they would become more and more divergent. After one year they would
only be different by five days, but in six years it would be a gap of 31.5
days (counting leap years). After 35 years it would be about six months
out of phase and after 70 years a whole year out of phase. Thus the older
the person got the farther out of phase the mahadasas would be. Thus using
the 360 d/y Jupiter mahadasa may start at age 35 but at age 35 y 6m using
the solar year. This would introduce serious difficulties in timing events
especially in regards to the Bhuktis. This difficulty would only increase
with age. However, contrary to the implicit assumption of the advocates
of the 360 d/y, there is no such discrepancy between the Vedic Lunar calendar
and the Solar calendar. Actually the Vedic Lunar calendar is Solar as will
be seen from the following quotation from Dikshit's BJS (emphasis mine):

"Should the reins in the horse-sacrifice be twelve cubits in length
or thirteen? The year consisting of (six) seasons is a kind of bullock
whose hump is the thirteenth month. The horse-sacrifice is the best of
all sacrifices. The year in the form of a bullock has got a hump (in the
form of the thirteenth month)." Aitareya Brahmana

"It is clear from the above quotations that the year was solar in the
Vedic age. The natural means of measuring a year used to be one complete
cycle of the seasons, just as the natural means of measuring a day was
the period between two consecutive sunrises or that for measuring
a month used to be the period between two full moons. The year as a unit
of time could not come into being if seasons didn't exist. It is, therefore,
obvious then that the year must have been solar.

". . . the seasons were naturally supposed to recur after 12 lunar months.
Although, one complete cycle of seasons required 11 days more than 12 lunar
months . . .[and the result of this difference of 11 days]. . . . . the
lunar month which used to fall in the summer must shift to occur
in the winter and later on in the rainy season and thus have gradually
receded through all the seasons.
Every month of such a calendar, like the Muharram of the Muslims,
was bound to pass through all the seasons, thus completing a revolution
in 33 years. [To avoid such a 33 year cycle] . . .to insert an intercalary
month; and the fact that such an intercalary month used to be reckoned
in the Vedic times goes to prove that the year was solar [even] in those
days. This may appear trivial today, but it certainly was no ordinary matter
that our people conceived the idea of inserting an intercalary month in
those days of hoary antiquity. As a matter of fact it is extremely
significant. The ancient Romans were at one time a very powerful nation,
they used to regard the year as consisting of 10 months for quite a long
time. . ." (BJS vol. 1, pp. 20-21)

The Vedic Lunar calendar is actually a luni-solar calendar, that is,
it is not independent from the Sun. A lunar month starts with the new Moon
after the Sun enters into a sign and is named in accordance to the Solar
sign or sometimes to the Naksatra in which the full Moon will take place
in that Lunar month, the naming conventions differ in various geographical
areas of India. In any case the lunar month is tied to the solar month.
How the Solar year and Lunar year are linked shall now be explained.

The Lunar year consists of 12 lunar months each consisting of 30 tithis
but this does not add up to 30 solar days since in the course of a lunar
month a tithi will vary from about 19 hours to 26 hours with an average
length of 23h 37m 28s. The lunar month would be 29.530589 days. Because
the Lunar year is 360 tithis long, that is only 354.36 solar days long
after only three years it would be about one month out of phase with the
solar year. However to keep it in phase with the solar year, and thus with
the seasons and religious observances, a leap month (adhika-masa) is introduced.
The introduction of the adhika-masa is not artificial, but a natural occurrence
(Metonic cycle) because about every third year there will be experienced
the phenomena of two new Moons while the Sun transits through one Rasi.
And since the lunar month is defined as the length of time between successive
new Moons and that there can only be one Lunar month corresponding to a
solar month, the extra lunar month becomes a leap month. Thus the solar
and lunar years would continue to stay in phase perpetually, their difference
never being more than about 22 days. In the first year they would be out
of phase by 11 days, the second year out of phase by 22 days, the third
year the leap month brings them back in phase, the fourth year out of phase
by 11 days, etc.

If the Vedic Lunar year were not linked to the solar year then within
only a few years there would be very noticeable differences in a change
of seasons in relation to the calendar. By an accumulation of about 11
days per year it would not take long before a festival associated with
the summer such as Krsna Janmastami would be observed in the spring when
Gaura Purnima should be observed. That would be absurd. However, there
is a Lunar calendar which is independent of the Sun, the Islamic. In this
calendar, based on a cycle of 30 years, 19 of which are 354 days long and
11 of which are leap years, having 355 days each. In 30 years each lunar
month will have cycled through all the solar months. Thus the first month
of the Muslim calendar Muharram will retrogress through the whole solar
Gregorian calendar, and also through the Vedic luni-solar calendar. Returning
to our argument; the Vedic lunar calendar is tied to the Sun thus the Vedic
Lunar calendar is actually a Solar calendar. It will always be very close
to the Solar calendar and never go out of phase as would a 360 day year
which would only become more divergent with time.

There is a need to review the calendar system used in Vedic astrology
and to set the standards for the right calendar to be followed in this
regard. There have been various calendar reform committees set up in various
forum, yet there has not been any consensus as deep inside they realize
that some vital point is being missed out. The calendar being followed
by the Indian Government, is widely off the mark as it just blindly superimposes
a lunar calendar on a solar calendar! Without trying to harmonise them
as had been originally done by the Vedic Seers. The Rashtriya Panchang,
although correct in its delineation of the planetary positions, (uses Lahiri’s
Ayanamsa, that is the closest to the truth so far) does not address this
issue.
Facts

The Saura[1] Varsha or the solar year has been precisely measured as
equal to 365.2421896698 days long, although it is gradually becoming shorter
by about half a second per century. This movement of the Sun around the
zodiac (or movement of the earth around the Sun) is the primary model on
which the lunar movement has to be superimposed.

The movement of the Moon in the zodiac can be measured by two methods
–

1) The movement around the zodiac
considered independently, which is approximately 27 days and 7 ¾
hours. Based on this, the zodiac of 3600 was divided into 27 Nakshatra,
(each 130 20’ of arc). Each Nakshatra was identified with a star, (or star
cluster) and derived its name from it. The 7-¾ hour shortfall in
a sidereal lunar transit was made up by a short-span intercalary (hypothetical)
Nakshatra called Abhijit. The span of Abhijit is determined proportionally
as (7h 38min / 24 hrs) x 130 20’ = 40 14’ 13". This span is from 2760 40’
to 2800 54" 13" overlapping the 21st Nakshatra (Uttarasadha).

2) The relative motion between the
Sun and the Moon from one conjunction to another (or from one opposition
to another) defines the Lunar Month (Chandra Masa). This period is 29.5305888531
days long, but getting longer by a fiftieth of a second per century. Thus,
there are 12.36826639275 lunar months in a tropical year. We can use various
types of approximation to synchronize these two periods of the Sun &
Moon i.e. the Solar Year and the Lunar Month.

The history of the calendar is the attempt of various astronomers,
astrologers, priests and mathematicians to perform the ultimate magic of
synchronizing the Solar and Lunar periods. There is also the constant attempt
to tinker with the solar calendar itself to have perfect months. This is
a separate issue which we shall discuss as we study the history of the
calendar.

Ancient calendars were based on lunar months, but in order to keep the
calendar in step with the seasons, it was necessary to insert extra months,
because 12 lunar months are 10.8751234326 days short of a tropical year.
The point to be noted is that the Vedic astrology paradigm uses the sidereal
zodiac where the relative motion of the solar system itself, in this universe
is noted and its precession has been measured @ 50.23 seconds of arc per
year. This translates into an additional 20 minutes of time in a solar
year.

The Vedic Calendar is the oldest and tries to cover this shortfall
of 10.87 days between 12 lunar months and a year by interpolating an extra
month every third year called he Adhika Masa. Since the names of the months[2]
were based on the Nakshatra position of the Full Moon, I have every reason
to believe that the months were initiated from the end of the full Moon
called Poornima (when the Satya Narayana Vrata is performed and a person
promises to abide by Dharma and be truthful). This Vedic calendar called
‘Suklanta’ is in vogue even today in some parts of Punjab and Orissa, although
the later period New Moon calendar has become popular. These divergent
views of reckoning of the starting of the Lunar Month are called as Amanta
(i.e. Amavasya + Anta or the end of Amavasya the last day in the dark half)
and Suklanta (i.e. the end of Sukla Paksha as the starting point of the
Lunar Month). Yavanacharya (called Yavanas) preferred the Amanta method[3]
of reckoning Lunar Months, whereas Varahamihira who followed the ancient
Maharishi’s and was no less than a Maharishi himself, followed the Suklanta.
Thus, I would prefer to follow Varahamihira and believe that this must
have been the correct method of reckoning the Lunar Months.

This was the first approximation and had an inbuilt error of 3.095 days
in every 3 years that would tend to shift the seasons back by as much time.
This inbuilt error can be rectified by having another Adhika Masa every
30 years i.e. every 30th year has two Adhika Masa (leaves an error of about
1.417 days in 30 years) and yet another every 625 years (i.e. every 625th
year has 3 Adhika Masa).
Saturn’s years & Metonic cycle

Around 432 B.C., Meton of Athens noticed that 235 lunar months were
almost exactly equal to 19 tropical years and proposed a 19-year cycle
of intercalation. This is the same as the dasa period of 19 years for Saturn.
We know that Saturn has Brahma the creator as its deity and that the entire
creation process evolves on the mutual relation between the Sun (representing
the father) and the Moon (representing the Mother). Thus, it may not be
too far fetched to say that the Vedic seers were well aware of this Metonic
cycle of 19 years where the relative periods of the Solar Year and the
Lunar month matched. They referred to this as the cycle of creation and
attributed the period to Saturn.

The Eclipse factor & Gaurabda

The basic difference between the two methods of reckoning of Lunar Month
is based on the eclipse. It is well known that the solar eclipse occurs
only at a new Moon, as the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, casting
its shadow toward the Earth whereas the lunar eclipse occurs only at the
Full Moon as the earths shadow falls on the Moon. The fact that the birth
of Sri Gauranga (Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu) is used as the starting of a
spiritual calendar called the Gaurabda shows that the Full Moon (i.e. Suklanta)
was used to determine the lunar month. Further, Sri Chaitanya was born
during a lunar eclipse.

Eclipses do not occur in every month, due to the fact that the
shadow cast by the Moon (Solar eclipse) or the earth (lunar eclipse) passes
over the Earth/Moon respectively. This pass over is caused as the Moons
orbit is tilted to the earths orbit (called the ecliptic) by 5 degrees.
The points of intersection of the lunar orbit on the ecliptic are called
Rahu (the ascending Node) and Ketu (the descending Node). Only at those
times when the new Moon is near one of its nodes can an eclipse occur.
Thus, when the new Moon appears within 18-3/4 days before or after the
alignment of a node, a solar eclipse will take place. This creates a 37
&1/2-day time frame for eclipses, called an eclipse season, indicating
the conditions being favorable for an eclipse to occur.

The nodes of the lunar orbit are gradually shifting their orientation
in space and moving in a retrograde manner leading to a shift in successive
annual eclipses by 18.62 days. Thus, the eclipse year is about 346.62 days
(i.e. 365.24 – 18.62 = 346.62 days). Now, the synodic month (called Masa)
does not match this period. However the ancient Vedic seers had known that
in about every 18 years cycle this does fall in place . Thus, a period
of 18 years 11-1/3 days (or 18 years 10-1/3 days if five February 29ths
fall within the period), Saros cycle coincides closely with 19 eclipse
years: 223 synodic months (29.5306 days) = 6,585.32 days and 19 eclipse
years (346.6200 days) = 6,585.78 days. This is the period of Rahu in Vimsottari
Dasa and it was apt to give this period to Rahu, the ascending node that
causes the eclipse of the luminaries.

The paths of the solar eclipse (shadow on earth) gradually widen as
they shift to more northerly latitudes in every successive eclipse. The
longitude for each successive eclipse in the series shifts to the west
by about 120 degrees. The Solar eclipse has a profound impact on geo-politics.
The areas traversed by the Umbra are normally those where political upheavals
are definitely going to occur, although this may not be immediate. For
example, the death of Herod the evil king and child slayer occurred close
to an eclipse that is used to time the birth of Christ as occurring before
that period. As another example, we see that the Moon’s umbra never passed
over the city of London during a period of 837 years between consecutive
total solar eclipses in the years 878 and 1715. During this period the
British Royalty was at its height. I finish here for the Jyotish Pundits
to do their research.

[1] Saura is derived from the word Sura or Surya

[2] Mukunda Daivagya in his immortal classic Nasta Jataka often uses
the term ‘Sukladi Chandra Masa’ i.e. use of the lunar months whose names
are based on the position of the Moon in a constellation during the full
moon.

Normally we have 12 lunar months in a year, which contains roughly 355
days (29.53*12). This falls short of the solar year by 10 days, which will
need a correction approximately every 3 years. This correction is not done
by arbitrary rules but by the natural motion of Sun and the Moon. The occurrence
of Amavasyas solves this deficiency in the number of days.

Usually there is only one Amavasya between Sankrantis. But sometimes,
two Amavasyas occur between successive Sankrantis, one at the very beginning
and the other near the end; the lunar month first occurring is termed Adhika
and the next one Nija. Both the months carry the same name with the prefix
Adhika and Nija. There are rare cases when then there is no Amavasya between
two Sankrantis. Then a Lunar Month is suppressed - Kshaya. Such an event
occurred in 1963 and again in 1982 and may occur in the future as well.
In Adhika Masa, no festivals are celebrated.

Sankranti - Surya Sankranti
= Cusp :

This is the time when we move from one zodiacal house to the next.
(ie., From Libra / Tula to Scorpio / Vrischika)

People (wrongly) assume that a lunar day (tithi) is exactly the same
as a solar day. A solar day is measured from sunrise to sunrise but a lunar
day (tithi) is measured by the amount of time it takes the Moon to move
multiples of 12 degrees from the Sun. Because of perturbations in the Moon's
movement over the course of a month the length of time it takes the Moon
to move 12 degrees from the Sun will vary from about 19-26 hours.

What that means is that a tithi (lunar day) can and does start at any
time of the solar day.

To harmonize things for civil purposes the rule is that which ever tithi
is current at sunrise will give its name to that solar day. But because
of the flexible nature of the duration of a tithi it can happen that a
tithi may start 5 minutes after sunrise one day and end 5 minutes before
sunrise of the next day. Hence no solar day will be named after it. Or
it could start 5 minutes before sunrise one day and end 5 mintes after
sunrise the next day in which case 2 solar days are named after it.

As you can see things get a bit complicated and this is just the start.
(-:

So now you know the answer why you will sometimes see that ekadasis
are not always 11 solar days after a full or new moon.

So have no fear the calendar is correct. It is just that you need to
educate yourself on Vedic calendars and time keeping in general.

Start with the fact that Vedic day begins at sunrise, not midnight.
Also DO NOT assume that Vedic calendric terms will have the same meaning
as western terms. They seldom do. They are defined differently.

Another useful hint would be: do not assume that because you do not
understand a Vedic concept (or any other foriegn culture), that there is
a mistake in it. Whether there is a mistake can only be found out after
you delve into the matter deeply, at which time you will often find that
it was your understanding which was imperfect. This is not meant as a criticism
or to inhibit inquiry, but rather a general statement to remind others
that we are dealing with another world view and that a humble approach
is the best approach. This is not to say that I thought you were not humble.
Just a reminder to us all that we don't know as much as we think we do.

This will take you to the tithi page that explains the
natural potency of each of the tithis. Click
HERE.

Tirubhav =
Disappearance :

"So at the time of death... Of course, those
who are devotees, their position is different. People may say, “The devotee
is also dying, and the nondevotee, sinful man, is also dying. What is the
difference?” So there is much difference. The example is given: just like
a cat catching a rat in his mouth and at the same time carrying his cubs
in the mouth. Superficially, we can see that the same mouth is being used,
but one is feeling comfortable being carried by the mother, and another
is feeling the death knell. Similarly, at the time of death, the devotee’s
feeling that they are being transferred to Vaikuëöha, whereas
the ordinary sinful man is feeling that the Yamaräja, the dütas,
the constables of Yamaräja are dragging him to the hellish condition
of life. So one should not conclude simply by seeing that he is dying.
No. The process is different. Janma karma ca me divyam. As Lord Kåñëa’s
appearance and disappearance are all spiritual, transcendental, they are
not ordinary things, similarly, Lord Kåñëa’s devotee,
His representative, who is sent to this material world for preaching the
glories of Lord Kåñëa, their appearance and disappearance
is also like Kåñëa’s. Therefore, according to Vaiñëava
principles, the appearance and disappearance of Vaiñëava is
considered all-auspicious. Therefore we hold festivals. Just like yesterday
we had the disappearance day of His Divine Grace Bhaktisiddhänta Sarasvaté
Goswami Prabhupäda. So we offered our respects and observed a festival,
Ävirbhava, Tirobhava. Tirobhava. Actually the living entity
has no birth or death, and what to speak of Kåñëa or
His devotee. Kåñëa is the chief living entity of all
living entities. Nityo nityänäà cetanaç cetanänäm.
He is also a living entity. Sometimes the atheist class of men say, “God
is dead.” The rascals, they do not know that even a small living entity
does not die. How Kåñëa can be dead or God can be dead?
Müòhä. Therefore these classes of men are described in
the Bhagavad-gétä as müòhä, rascals. They
do not know anything; still, they pose themselves as very learned and utter
something which is neither good for them nor for the public." (A.C. Bhaktivedanta
Swami Prabhupada. 17th December 1970. Srimad Bhagavatam lecture 6:1:27-34.
Surat, India.)

This will take you to the Yogas page (soli-luna yogas),
where the auspicious and inauspicious functionary natures of each yoga
are outlined. Click HERE.

Yugas = "The
duration of the material universe is limited. It is manifested in cycles
of kalpas. A kalpa is a day of Brahma, and one day of Brahma consists of
a thousand cycles of four yugas or ages: Satya, Treta, Dvapara and Kali.
The cycle of Satya is characterized by virtue, wisdom and religion, there
being practically no ignorance and vice, and the yuga lasts 1,728,000 years.
In the Treta-yuga vice is introduced, and this yuga lasts 1,296,000 years.
In the Dvapara-yuga there is an even greater decline in virtue and religion,
vice increasing, and this yuga lasts 864,000 years. And finally in Kali-yuga
(the yuga that we have now been experiencing over the past 5,000 years)
there is an abundance of strife, ignorance, irreligion and vice, true virtue
being practically nonexistent, and this yuga lasts 432,000 years. In Kali-yuga
vice increases to such a point that at the termination of the yuga the
Supreme Lord Himself appears as the Kalki avatara, vanquishes the demons,
saves His devotees, and commences another Satya-yuga. Then the process
is set rolling again. These four yugas, rotating a thousand times, comprise
one day of Brahma, the creator god, and the same number comprise one night.
Brahma lives one hundred of such "years" and then dies. These "hundred
years" by earth calculations total to 311 trillion and 40 billion earth
years. By these calculations the life of Brahma seems fantastic and interminable,
but from the viewpoint of eternity it is as brief as a lightning flash.
In the Causal Ocean there are innumerable Brahmas rising and disappearing
like bubbles in the Atlantic. Brahma and his creation are all part of the
material universe, and therefore they are in constant flux.

In the material universe not even Brahma is free from
the process of birth, old age, disease and death. Brahma, however, is directly
engaged in the service of the Supreme Lord in the management of the universe--therefore
he at once attains liberation. Elevated sannyasis are promoted to Brahma's
particular planet, Brahmaloka, which is the highest planet in the material
universe and which survives all the heavenly planets in the upper strata
of the planetary system, but in due course Brahma and all the inhabitants
of Brahmaloka are subject to death, according to the law of material nature."

Bhagavad-gita 8:17

In Satya-yuga, the golden age, the principles of religion
work fully. The average lifespan is a hundred thousand years, and self-realization
is attained by prolonged meditation.

In Treta-yuga, the silver age, the principles of religion
are reduced by a fraction of one fourth. The average lifespan is ten thousand
years, and self-realization is attained by performance of great sacrifices
(yajnas).

In Dvapara-yuga, the copper age, the principles of religion
are reduced to one half. The average lifespan is one thousand years, and
self-realization is attained by worship of the Lord in the temple.

In Kali-yuga, the iron age, the principles of religion
are reduced to one fourth, and gradually diminish to zero. The average
lifespan is one hundred years, and self-realization is attained by hearing
and chanting the names of the Lord.